How to become a medical records specialist
Compile, process, and maintain medical records of hospital and clinic patients in a manner consistent with medical, administrative, ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements of the healthcare system. Classify medical and healthcare concepts, including diagnosis, procedures, medical services, and equipment, into the healthcare industry's numerical coding system. Includes medical coders.
Steps to get there
Most employers expect most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree..Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
What medical records specialists do
- Protect the security of medical records to ensure that confidentiality is maintained.
- Release information to persons or agencies according to regulations.
- Retrieve patient medical records for physicians, technicians, or other medical personnel.
- Review records for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with regulations.
- Maintain or operate a variety of health record indexes or storage and retrieval systems to collect, classify, store, or analyze information.
- Process patient admission or discharge documents.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Learning Strategies
Is medical records specialist a good career?
On the numbers, this job is close to the average across occupations. Median pay is 0% above the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.
Where it pays most
- District of Columbia $72,040
- Rhode Island $63,960
- Hawaii $63,180
- Washington $62,270
- California $61,810
Medical Records Specialists salary by state and city
Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.